Dual pull open bottom portable pickup truck trailer unloader system

ABSTRACT

The Dual Pull Open Bottom Portable Pickup Truck Trailer Unloader System is an unloader device that facilitates the easy removal of material from trucks and trailers by the means of hand power or electric or hydraulic motor drive. The open bottom permits the material to slide along the bottom of the truck to either fall directly on the ground when operated or to be slid to the back of the vehicle to be unloaded by hand or by equipment. The dual pull chain, cable, rope or strap system creates an even pull on the unloader box to prevent binding from unevenly distributed loads in the vehicle&#39;s cargo space and inside the U-shaped unloader box. This adaptable system with an open bottom, back board and side boards is a sliding mechanism that can be custom-made to fit specific design requirements. The size of back board and size and height of side boards are determined by the specific requirements of each unloading application.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

This invention serves as a truck unloader system that helps reduce thework necessary to unload debris, sand, gravel, etc. from pick-up trucks.This unloader system with its dual pull open bottom feature is adaptableto various vehicles for easy unloading. It was primarily invented tohelp unload construction debris from pickup trucks, but can be adaptedto unload material from larger trucks and trailers.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,630,571; 4,084,851; 3,740,097; 3,659,899; 3,871,706;4,030,751; 3,446,534; 5,447,361; 4,572,579; 4,126,357; 4,681,371 allutilize a solid bottom cargo box that is mechanically lifted or slidinto a tilt position to remove cargo or debris from a solid bottom cargobox that fits on or in a truck or trailer. These inventions are vastlydifferent form the Dual Pull Open Bottom Portable Pickup Truck TrailerUnloader System that slides cargo or debris on the bottom of the vehicleto the back of the vehicle where it is unloaded or falls through theopen bottom directly onto the ground.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,904,049; 5,340,266; 4,842,471; 4,784,563; 4,629,390;5,156,518; 3,978,996 all utilize a temporary or permanently mountedconveyer belt on which cargo is placed directly on top and that, when inmotion, transports cargo or debris to the back of the vehicle where itis unloaded or falls directly onto the ground. These inventions arevastly different from the Dual Pull Open Bottom Portable Pickup TruckTrailer Unloader System that slides cargo or debris on the bottom of thevehicle to the back of the vehicle where it is unloaded or falls throughthe open bottom directly onto the ground.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,082,136; 4,113,122; and 4,111,318 all utilize aplurality of cables which are laid on the floor of the vehicle and whichsupport loads placed thereon. The cables can be moved whereby loadssupported on the cables are moved along the vehicle floor. Theseinventions are vastly different from the Dual Pull Open Bottom PortablePickup Truck Trailer Unloader System that slides cargo or debris on thebottom of the vehicle to the back of the vehicle where it is unloaded orfalls through the open bottom directly onto the ground.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,508 titled Cargo Conveying Vehicle Having a MoveableBulkhead Located Therein claims (1) A cargo carrying vehicle comprisinga body having an interior, an internal floor, a left internal sidewallhaving an upper edge and a lower edge, a right internal side wall havingan upper edge and a lower edge, a longitudinal axis, a front end and arear end and (2) a moveable bulkhead mounted in said interior. Theclaims clearly present a box vehicle with permanent sides and floor witha permanently mounted bulkhead that moves forward and backwards throughthe use of cables and pulleys that stabilize and move the bulkhead fromthe four comers of the bulkhead utilizing a multitude of pulleys,attachments, motors or pistons. Claim 30 cites a cargo carrying vehicleas cited in claim 17 wherein said internal floor is reciprocating. The38 claims defining this invention describe a vehicle with a cargocompartment that has a permanently mounted moveable bulkhead thereinthat is designed to function with a reciprocating floor. This inventionis different from the Dual Pull Open Bottom Portable Pickup TruckTrailer Unloader System. The primary difference is that it is portablefrom vehicle to vehicle. The second difference is that only two tensionstraps, cables, chains or ropes provide force to the cargo box. Thethird difference is that the Dual Pull Open Bottom Portable Pickup TruckTrailer Unloader System is a unit that has two side boards and a backboard that fit inside a pickup truck or trailer. The portable pickuptruck unloader system is vastly different from the permanently mountedmoving bulkhead inside a box vehicle.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is an objective of this invention to provide a mechanical device forthe easy unloading of pickup trucks. A second objective of thisinvention is to produce a mechanical device for the unloading ofvehicles that is an economical alternative to expensive tilt dumpmethods of material removal from vehicles. It is a third objective ofthis invention to produce a mechanical device that can be hand operatedor motor operated depending upon application. It is a fourth objectiveof this invention to create a mechanical apparatus that can be customfit to specific applications. The dual pull cable, strap (nylon orother), chain, or rope feature provides this versatility for specificdesign needs and applications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more fully understood by reference to thefollowing description of the attached drawing.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the unloader system in a pickup truck with thedebris or cargo falling through the open bottom onto the ground as theunloader box is moved towards the back of the pickup truck.

FIG. 2 is a 3/4 view of the Dual Pull Open Bottom Portable Pickup TruckTrailer Unloader System with hand operated winch and optional motordrive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a side view of the unloader system in a pickup truck halfwaydeployed with debris cargo falling through the open bottom onto theground. A hand winch (4) connecting both cables, straps, chains, orropes synchronizes torque when operated (figure shows right cable,strap, chain or rope (7)). The cables, straps, chains, or ropes areattached to the back of the pickup truck (3) and are winched in, therebypulling the unloader box towards the back of the vehicle. The unloaderbox comprises two side boards and a back board (right side board shown(6)). The cargo or debris (2) falls through the open bottom onto theground as the unloader box is moved towards the back of the pickuptruck. The unloader box is placed in the bed of a standard pickup truck(1).

FIG. 2 is a 3/4 view of the Dual Pull Open Bottom Portable Pickup TruckTrailer Unloader System with hand operated winch and optional motordrive. The portable unloader system disassembles into components foreasy installation and storage. Adjacent to the left side board (8) isthe left cable, strap, chain, or rope (9) and adjacent to the right sideboard (6) is the right cable, strap, chain, or rope (7), both of whichserve as the dual pull tension mechanisms. The side boards are attachedto the back board (5). A torque winch system can be synchronized by useof a connected bar winch (4) that turns both cables, straps, chains orropes simultaneously. An optional motor attachment (10) serves as onemethod of driving the synchronized torque connecting bar. The openbottom of the cargo compartment (11) permits debris or cargo to fallthrough the open bottom onto the ground.

A dual pull open bottom portable pickup truck trailer unloader systemcan be a solid back board, a set of two side boards connected to saidback board creating the open bottom cargo space and means for connectingsynchronized torque that evenly pulls two chains, cables, ropes orstraps that run outside the side boards where the mechanical apparatusis connected to the truck or trailer and the ends of the two chains,cables, ropes, or straps connect to said back board and side boards.

A dual pull open bottom portable pickup truck trailer unloader systemcan also be a solid back board, a set of two side boards connected tosaid back board forming a U-shaped open ended open bottom cargo spacethat permits the cargo to slide on the bottom of the truck or trailerwhen synchronized mechanical pull is applied to two chains, cables,ropes or straps that connect between said back board and side boards andthe back of the vehicle.

A dual pull open bottom portable pickup truck trailer unloader systemcan be mechanically driven by hand, winch, electrical, or hydraulicmotor or motors attached to said back board and side-board cargocontainer either directly mounted to said back board and side boards onthe vehicle, whereby connecting the cables, straps, chains or ropesbetween said back board and side boards and the back of the vehicleprovides mechanical tension to move the unloader box toward the back ofthe vehicle.

A dual pull open bottom portable pickup truck trailer unloader systemcan include a closed end on the U-shaped back board side board cargocompartment making an open bottom box unloader.

A dual pull open bottom portable pickup truck trailer unloader systemcan be disassembled for easy storage into components of a back board andtwo side boards.

I claim:
 1. A dual pull open bottom unloader mechanism for placement anduse in a pickup truck or truck trailer, having a bed portion and an openback end portion comprising:an unloader box having a left side, a rightside opposing the left side, and a front side intermediate to andconnecting the left and right sides, the unloader box defining aninterior and an exterior, the box being slidable across the bed portiontowards and away from said open back end portion; and a pair of linesexterior to the unloader box and connected to the unloader box, one ofthe pair of lines being adjacent to the right side of the unloader box,and the other of the pair of lines being adjacent to the left side ofthe unloader box, and a means for synchronizing torque, said means beingsecured to said unloader box for moving the box towards and away fromthe open back end portion, while maintaining an even pull on said linesoutside the unloader box.
 2. An unloader mechanism according to claim 1wherein each of the pair of lines has a winding end, and including arotating member operably connected to the unloader box for winding thelines evenly thereon, wherein the winding end of each of the lines iswound around the rotating member moving the box evenly toward the openback end portion.
 3. An unloader mechanism according to claim 2, whereinthe rotating member is rotatable by hand, winch, electrical motor orhydraulic motor.
 4. An unloader mechanism according to claim 1,whereinthe left side, the right side, and the back side, are capable ofbeing disassembled from each other.
 5. An unloader mechanism accordingto claim 1, further including a rear end connecting the left and rightsides at an end opposite said front side, thereby forming an open bottombox unloader.